Installed: 1904

Memorial name: Hunnewell Memorial Window

Dedicated to: Horatio Hollis Hunnewell (1810-1902)

Donor: Isabella Pratt Hunnewell Shaw (daughter)

Location: Main floor, right side

This window tells the story of Jesus blessing the children on the road to Jerusalem. While holding a young child in one arm, Jesus blesses a kneeling youth. A woman offers her infant as the next to be blessed. The luminous quality of the faces demonstrates designer Frederick Wilson’s sensitivity to the effects of light. This style is in keeping with Boston School paintings of this era. The background features majestic peaks, the “river of life,” and a distinct sunset of yellows against a rose-tinged sky. The robes worn by Jesus and the woman feature Tiffany’s unique opalescent glass as well as the studio’s distinctive “drapery” technique in the three-dimensional molding.

This window honors Horatio Hollis Hunnewell (1810-1902) and was donated by his children, primarily his daughter, Isabella Pratt Hunnewell (Mrs. Robert Gould) Shaw. In addition to his roles as a railroad financier and philanthropist, H. H. Hunnewell was an amateur botanist and earned the distinction of being one of the most prominent American horticulturists of the 19th century. An important leader at Arlington Street Church, Hunnewell donated much of the funding for the construction of the new Back Bay church. He served on the committee charged with overseeing the building project and encouraged the architect who designed his Wellesley estate, Arthur Delavan Gilman, to submit a proposal. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions, the congregation named the Hunnewell Chapel in his honor.

Glenn Kulbako Photography